5 Horror Movie Filming Locations You Can Actually Stay In, If You Dare…

Photo by Johannes Plenio on Unsplash

Nothing is quite as scary as watching a horror movie from the actual location in which it was filmed. To get into the spooky Halloween spirit, we've put together a selection of five stays where some of the most iconic and chilling movies came to life. The creaky floorboards, icy drafts and haunted hallways are just the beginning…

Dating back to 1859, this historic Victorian Gothic country house was the filming location of various terror movies during the sixties due to its proximity to a filming studio famous for its horror film productions. The property is recognizable from the popular cult horror musical directed by Jimmy Sharman. Today, The Oakley Court is a beautiful hotel, set within large gardens and overlooking the River Thames. The property features an award-winning restaurant, a 9-hole golf course, tennis courts and an indoor pool.

Situated deep within Mt. Hood National Forest, the luxurious Timberline Lodge features rustically inspired rooms with original handcrafted furnishings, a heated outdoor pool and three restaurants. The property was used for the exterior shots of one of Stephen King’s most famous films about an author who was planning on using the hotel’s solitude to write, but instead comes face to face with some of the hotel’s darkest secrets. Based on the bestselling novel, the movie was actually inspired by the King’s visit at The Stanley Hotel in 1974, which was used as the filming location from the 1997 television adaptions of this chilling story.

Set within 40 acres of lush parkland, this 4-star Gothic mansion offers luxuriously furnished rooms and an impressive oak room restaurant with an 18th-century ceiling and other stunning historic features. With the River Stour running through the property, the exteriors and grounds were the memorable filming location of a 1963 British psychological horror film about a small group of people invited by a scientist to investigate a haunted mansion known as Hill House.

In 1990, the world was introduced to a fictional small town in the Pacific Northwest and its quirky inhabitants, rocked by a mysterious murder and the quest to uncover the truth. Almost overnight, everyone became obsessed with the twisting plot lines and eccentric cast of characters, as well as the dramatic real-life landscapes that provided the brooding backdrop for this spine-tingling prime-time soap opera. Featuring expansive views of the surrounding mountains and perched near the top of Snoqualmie Falls, the Salish Lodge & Spa is recognisable from the opening sequence of the show and as one of the most important locations in the series.

Overlooking Fistral Beach, this stylish Victorian hotel features a Five Bubble rated spa, surf school, a golf course and a wonderful sea-view terrace. In 1990, the property was used as the filming location of a fantasy horror-comedy film starring Anjelica Huston. Inspired by one of Roald Dahl’s much-loved novels, the movie is about a young boy who stumbles into the world of ‘real’ evil witches. After he was turned into a mouse, the little protagonist tries to stop them and save the world.